


Walking along the edge of forever

by Raja_Myna



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Afterlife, Canon? What Canon?, Character Death, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:47:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24907846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raja_Myna/pseuds/Raja_Myna
Summary: In the Gatekeeper’s Realm, equal is not necessarily equivalent, and everything has its price. There are rules, binding, inescapable rules determining everything, even if it goes beyond your limited comprehension.In My Realm, it’s a game of chance and the dice are loaded.In whose favour?That would be telling, would it not?So tell me, alchemist.Do you feel lucky?_-_-_-_Alphonse is not given a choice in this. He bullies his way into getting it anyway.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 20





	Walking along the edge of forever

**Author's Note:**

> This was born out of a very deep philosophical debate about life and death, where the words “Gate to the Afterlife” were used. My fanfic brain had two thoughts, in order:  
> 1\. Pity Ed doesn’t have one of those anymore.  
> 2\. *Anguished screaming*  
> So of course I had to share. :)

Reckless decisions might seem more like Ed’s thing, but often that is only because he is easy to provoke in the beginning, quick to action, and steps up to take the blame in the end.

Al can be just as reckless, he’s just calmer, reasons through his actions a bit more, and tends to be forcibly pushed aside by Ed when time comes to take the blame.

If asked, Al will say Ed’s recklessness is more terrifying, because he jumps in without considering every aspect and possible outcome.

If asked, Ed will say Al’s recklessness is more terrifying, because he considers every aspect and possible outcome _and does it anyway_.

But now, Al can’t ask Ed anymore.

In the end, they’re as reckless as each other. In the end, they’re equally terrifying.

_-_-_-_

Alphonse Elric dies at the very respectable old age of eighty-seven. By then, he has lived in a world without his brother for over a week and is more than ready to follow him in death, whether that means a loss of consciousness like sleep, but without waking up, some sort of reincarnation, or an afterlife where they could reunite again.

His wife and the second eldest of their grandchildren is at his side when he finally takes his last breath. The last thing he hears is Mei’s choked sob. He doesn’t have the strength squeeze her fingers one last time, can’t open his eyes to look at her, or offer her any more comfort than he already has. He’s fading, faded already. They’ve talked about this before, of course, but they both knew it would not be any easier when the time came.

I’m sorry, Al thinks, for leaving you.

Then the world washes white. A familiar Gate looms before him. A familiar shape with a familiar, unsettling grin sits to the side. The Gate opens at a wave of its hand, and Al walks through without hesitation, shedding his years as he goes, not even noticing it other than the ease of movement he has not possessed for so many years.

Then he is through, and the Gate shuts behind him.

It is nothing at all like it was when he was a child – or maybe he just sees it differently now, veil of mortal life lifted from him with his death.

He keeps walking, and walking, and walking. He doesn’t know what he’s walking towards, what he’s looking for until he spies the first familiar face.

So, afterlife it is.

_-_-_-_

There is something serene about the afterlife. A comforting blanket wrapped around him, a gentle hug, a sense of peace. It feels like everything’s all right.

That’s probably why the source of his unease is so hard to pinpoint until Hohenheim pulls him aside and forces the issue.

“Was Edward still alive when you died?”

Ed isn’t here.

“Brother,” Al barely breathes it out as he looks over the area. “Where are you, brother?”

Hohenheim closes his eyes. “I was afraid of this.”

Al feels frozen, burning inside, and shattered into a thousand pieces at the same time. Even just thinking is impossible. “What?”

“How did you get here, Alphonse?”

“I… walked.” And now his brain is catching up, horror creeping up but not yet overwhelming him. “I walked through…” _the Gate_.

“The Gate,” Hohenheim concurs. “And Edward doesn’t have one anymore.”

_-_-_-_

The passage of time is impossible to mark, most likely because there isn’t any. This place just is, now and then and forever. To Al’s impatient mind, however, any time at all is too long.

Mei is here now, but he hasn’t asked her how long it’s been. He never asks anyone how long it’s been.

“This is getting us nowhere,” Mei says eventually. She gestures at Al’s notes. “We have nothing concrete, at all. Let’s find an official looking person and beat some answers out of them.”

Al looks up and through terrible, horrible coincidence he finds himself looking straight at Riza Hawkeye. “Not… the _first_ official looking person, I hope.”

Mei follows his eyes and starts to laugh. Al can’t understand how. Death has not made Hawkeye any less terrifying.

“I meant those,” Mei gestures at… something Al can barely see.

“What is that?” says Al.

“Hopefully? Our answers.”

And well. What more is there to say?

_-_-_-_

The thing they catch wakes bad memories. It is a pure white shape, with a disturbing grin as the only distinguishable feature on its otherwise blank face. Where the Truth is humanoid however, this thing is a bit more… wobbly around the edges. More like… human-shaped jello, rather than simply human-shaped.

Al pointedly keeps this observation to himself.

Between him and Mei, they eventually manage to get some usable information from the thing. Between him and Mei and Winry, they get the rest. Winry, upon showing up and getting the explanation, actually takes over the interrogation wholesale. Al and Mei watch her go at it at first, then happily leave her to it when the tools start flying.

Instead they turn to planning, with Hohenheim showing up to help more often than not. When they’re finally finished, Al doesn’t say goodbye. He doesn’t say see you later. They all know, anyway.

Al walks forward.

_-_-_-_

It looks like a bar.

There’s high chairs clustered together along one wall, tables scattered along another, and Al slowly sits down by one of them. He feels the presence before it announces itself.

“I’m impressed.” A million voices speaks as one.

“How can my brother get here?”

Straight to the point is the only thing Al has patience for. It’s reckless, maybe, bargaining sight unseen with an entity so far beyond him, but. It’s not really a leap of faith when you’ve already considered all aspects.

“Your brother,” the entity slides into a chair opposite Al, “has no way into My Realm.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

The figure looks just like Truth, white, featureless. It tilts its head.

“Maybe not, but it’s the answer you get.”

Al shakes his head. “The rules are different here.”

“Good guess,” the figure smiles nastily. “But wrong.”

Eyes narrowing, Al opens his mouth to continue, but the entity interrupts him.

“There are _no_ rules here.”

The implications turns a lot of Al’s suppositions on their head, but he realises soon enough what it is implying.

“There’s your amusement.”

Suddenly the smile seems far less evil.

_-_-_-_

Al doesn’t know how long they talk. He doesn’t know who’s getting more out of this.

But in the end, he gets what he wants, so. It’s not like it really matters.

_-_-_-_

“In the Gatekeeper’s Realm, equal is not necessarily equivalent, and everything has its price. There are rules, binding, inescapable rules determining everything, even if it goes beyond your limited comprehension,” the entity smiles. “In My Realm, it’s a game of chance and the dice are loaded.”

Al has learnt enough to ask, or maybe not enough to keep his mouth shut. “In whose favour?”

“That would be telling, would it not?” it laughs. It flicks its hand and a red cup appears in it, something rattling around inside. “So tell me, alchemist,” it continues, showing Al the cup, five black dice with white spots resting at the bottom. “Do you feel lucky?”

Al considers the choice, takes the cup and slams it upside down on the table, without even rattling the dice around. He stands and walks to the Gate without hesitation. Behind him, the figure laughs delightedly and before him the Gate swings open.

_-_-_-_

Edward Elric walks alone in a soundless, colourless void. He walks alone, forever, for an instant, never stopping because what would be the point.

“BROTHER!”

“… Al?”

It’s like being born, and it’s like dying. It’s like falling, and like flying. And whatever comes of this will come soon enough. They’ll face it together.


End file.
